THE CARMELITE NGO -
a project of the
members of the Carmelite Family around the world

The Carmelite
NGO, a non governmental organization with special staus to
the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC)
and affiliated to the Department of Public Information
(DPI) of the UNited Nations, is
comprised of the men and women from around the world who are
members of the Carmelite religious Order or its affiliated
Congregations and Institutes within the Catholic Church. It is
at the service of the people they serve.

Day of Prayer for World Environment Day - December 10, 2014We Are In Awe of the Human Person

A very popular
resource offered for the celebration of World Human Rights Day. For this year's Day of Prayer, the Carmelite NGO is focusing on the dignity of each human being.
We invite groups from around the world to join with us, using our
booklet as a resource if you wish.

As always we are interested in knowing who is using the Day of Prayer
and how. If you have any comments, please send them to the
webmaster.

Representatives of the
Carmelite NGO joined world leaders, along with thousands of participants
from government, the private sector, NGOs and other groups for RIO+20, a
continuation of the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)
in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

The Conference had two themes: 1) a green economy in the context of
sustainable development poverty eradication, and 2) the institutional
framework for sustainable development. Preparations for the Conference
highlighted seven areas for priority attention: decent jobs, energy,
sustainable cities, food security and sustainable agriculture, water,
oceans, and disaster readiness.

Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Seen as the guiding principle for long-term global development,
sustainable development consists of three pillars: economic development,
social development, and environmental protection.

Blog for Carmelite Schools
Around the WorldCarmelite
Secondary Schools in US and Peru Sponsor Environmental Blog Website for
Students and Faculty

The Secondary Schools
Commission of the Carmelite Province with schools in the USA and Peru
have agreed to sponsor a blog on the Internet which will facilitate
discussion among students at Carmelite high schools around the world.

Entitled Carmelite Youth Crew -- with CREW being an anagram for
"caring, responding and enhancing our world" -- the site will allow
students, faculty, and staff members of the Carmelite schools to share
activities, photos, reflections, prayers, and plans relating to
environmental sustainability.

A Position of the Carmelite
NGO on Climate ChangeThe
Spiritual Pathway to a Sustainable Environment

A statement from the Carmelite NGO on our position on climate change.
Written by Eduardo Agosta Scarel, O. Carm., the paper was discussed and
approved by the Carmelite NGO's Coordinating Committee and has been
endorsed by a number of organization and individuals of faith.

Copies of the statement are
available online in
English,
Spanish, and
Indonesian. Written copies in those three languages may be obtained
from our office in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Papal Message for
World Day of Peace - January 1, 2015Slaves No More, But Brothers and Sisters

The
Catholic Church begins each year with World Day of Peace, a day set aside for
prayer and reflection.
In this year's address, Pope Francis I addresses slavery, a global sin that most people think is a thing of the past. Peace can only exist when each human being recognizes every other person as a brother or sister with the same dignity. Our purpose is to build a civilization based on the equal dignity of every person without discrimination. To achieve this will also require the commitment of the media, of education, and of culture to a renewed society pledged to freedom, justice, and therefore peace.

The World Day of Peace, initiated by Pope Paul VI, is celebrated each year on the first day of January. The pope's message is sent to all the world's foreign ministers and also indicates the Holy See's diplomatic line during the coming year.

In order to further facilitate communication about the Carmelite NGO's
activities at the United Nations, we are establishing a blog. This will
allow you to keep updated on the many meetings, workshops, and other
activities that the Carmelite NGO is involved in around the globe and
within the UN itself.

Ask where the United
Nations is located and most people will answer "New York." In fact the United
Nations is a system of offices and departments located throughout the world.
The map which is linked below shows the major offices of this huge
organization. Now if they would only develop a listing of all the
abbreviations used in the organization! However, click on any of the
abbreviations and the homepage of that UN organization will open for you.

CarmeNGO
Our new quarterly publication, CarmeNGO, contains information about the Carmelite NGO and the work of the
Carmelites worldwide. The publication is available by postal service as well
as online.

The
men and women of the Carmelite Family-- men and women of the Carmelite
Order and its affiliated Congregations and Institutes-- sponsor the
Carmelite NGO. The Carmelite NGO, through its affiliation with the United
Nations, provides access to the resources of that organization as well as
allows the members of the United Nations to benefit from the various
ministries of the Carmelites worldwide.

The Carmelite NGO was affiliated to
the United Nations in December 2001. We are currently under consideration
for ECOSOC status.

A bi-weekly e-newsletter designed to inform the
reader of new articles and features on the NGLS (Non Governmental Liaison
Service) website as well as providing a snapshot of recent and upcoming UN and
NGLS activities.

In November 1981, governments signed a Declaration on the
Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion
or Belief. That document included the right to "establish and maintain" places
of worship; to "write, issue and disseminate" religious publications; to
"observe days of rest and to celebrate holidays"; and to "establish and maintain
communications with individuals and communities in matters of religion and
belief at the national and international levels."

+ Develop further an
open trading and financial system that includes a commitment to good governance,
development and poverty reduction-- nationality and internationally.
+ Address the least developed countries' special needs, and the special needs of
landlocked and small island developing states.
+ Deal comprehensively with developing countries' debt problems.
+ Develop decent and productive work for youth.
+ In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable
essential drugs in developing countries.
+ In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new
technologies-- especially information and communications technologies.

DPI/NGO Conferences and
the Carmelites

64th Annual DPI/NGO Conference
September 3-5, 2011
- Bonn, Germany
Sustainable Societies/Responsible CitizensThe theme of the
meeting revolved around citizens and NGO involvements in creating and
maintaining various aspects of sustainable societies for the benefit of
mankind and the planet: economical, cultural and environmental. Some
subthemes were on environmental sustainability, green manufacturing and
commerce, transparent governance, grassroots activism, and limiting
personal carbon footprints.

Some 1,600 participants
representing over 350 Non-Governmental Organizations from more than 70
countries who met in Melbourne from August 30 - September 1, 2010. Four
round tables were held, focusing on four major themes: The Role of the
NGO and Civil Society in Helping Achieve the MDGs"; "Equity, Rights and
Progress Towards the MDGs"; "Strengthening an Integrated and Systems
Approach to Achieving the Health MDGs"; "Achieving the MDGs in Our
Changing World." The conference also featured some 50 exhibits and 10
topic-specific displays by NGOs promoting ways and means of achieving
the Millennium Development Goals.

Participants from around
the world gathered from September 9-11, 2009, to discuss how they
can contribute to reducing arms while advancing peace. The current
global economic and food crises have necessitated a realignment of the
world’s financial resources. This can only be enhanced by effect
comprehensive disarmament.